Player Representation

Trusted representation for professional hockey players.

Valette Sports Group represents players through contract negotiations, career decisions, team changes and the day-to-day realities of professional hockey. Our responsibility is to protect the player's interests, provide a clear understanding of the market and help them make informed decisions throughout their career.

Jake DeBrusk celebrating on the ice in a Vancouver Canucks jersey
Jake DeBruskVancouver Canucks · NHL
Experience

Experience matters when the decisions carry more weight.

Professional hockey can change quickly. A single season can shift a player's market value, role and long-term options. A contract, roster decision, injury, trade or change in role can affect both the immediate season and the direction of a career.

Led by NHLPA Certified Agent Rick Valette, our team has experience working with NHL, AHL and European professional players. We understand how organizations evaluate players, how contract markets develop and how important direct communication becomes when circumstances change.

We prepare for negotiations before they begin, gather comparable deals, understand team needs and position the player accurately in the market. The goal is never to rush a signature — it is to build a contract and career plan that hold up over time.

Representation is most valuable when the player is under pressure and the stakes are highest. That is when experience, relationships and clear judgment matter most.

What We Do

Representation, coordinated in one place.

Contract work, career planning and day-to-day support are handled by the same team so the guidance stays consistent through every stage of the career.

IContract Negotiation

Terms measured against the full career.

Every contract is negotiated with the player's short-term situation and long-term market value in view. A good deal today should not create problems two or three years from now.

We evaluate structure, term, base salary, bonuses, no-trade protection, release language and option years so the player understands what is being agreed to and why.

Our job is to make sure the player signs something that fits their career trajectory, not just the best offer presented in the moment.

IICareer Planning

Decisions made with the full career in mind.

Compensation is only one part of a professional opportunity. The right situation can improve a player's value, visibility and long-term options.

Players may need to compare role, ice time, organizational depth, contract security, coaching, location, family needs and future market value before making a commitment.

The recommendation is based on what makes sense for the player — not what is most convenient for the agency. We will advise against a move if the timing or fit is wrong.

IIIDay-to-Day Support

Direct access when circumstances change.

Injuries, roster moves, trades and role changes rarely arrive at a convenient time. Players need a representative who will answer the call and provide clear guidance when the situation is still unfolding.

Players and families should be able to reach the people representing them directly, without being routed through multiple layers of staff.

We stay in regular contact throughout the season so we can respond quickly and with full context when something changes.

IVMedia Preparation

Prepared for the moments that shape a reputation.

Interviews, scrums and press availability are part of a professional career. How a player handles those moments affects how the market, teams and fans perceive them over time.

We help players prepare for media obligations, anticipate difficult questions and communicate in a way that reflects who they are without creating distraction for themselves or the team.

The objective is a consistent, professional voice the player can rely on through every stage of the season.

VFinancial, Legal & Wealth Coordination

The off-ice side of a professional career, handled properly.

Contracts, taxes, investments, insurance and estate planning become significantly more complex once a player signs professionally. Decisions made early can have lasting consequences.

We coordinate directly with trusted financial advisors, tax specialists, wealth managers and legal counsel so the player has qualified professionals aligned around a single plan.

The player should not have to assemble this network alone. Our role is to make sure the right people are in place and communicating with each other.

VIPerformance & Development Support

The team behind the player.

Sustained performance at the professional level depends on the people around the athlete — skills coaches, strength staff, skating instructors, nutritionists and recovery specialists.

We help players identify and coordinate the right development resources for their stage of career and organizational context, without duplicating what their team already provides.

The goal is to support the player's on-ice work so they arrive at each season prepared to compete for their role and their contract.

VIIMental Performance

The mental side of a professional career.

Confidence, focus and resilience are as important as physical preparation. Slumps, injuries, trades and roster decisions all test a player's mindset over the course of a career.

Through our Strategic Specialists, players have access to certified mental performance consultants who work with them privately and confidentially.

Mental preparation is treated as part of the professional standard, not something addressed only when a problem appears.

VIIILife After Sport

Planning for the chapter after hockey.

Every professional career eventually ends. Players who plan for that transition early tend to move into the next stage with clarity and options rather than uncertainty.

We support players in thinking through education, business interests, coaching pathways, media opportunities and personal ventures well before their playing days are over.

The intent is not to distract from the current career. It is to make sure the player is ready when the time comes.

IXHow We Work

Direct communication and clear advice.

Players should know who is representing them, what conversations are taking place and how the agency views their situation. There should be no ambiguity about who is making decisions or what the strategy is.

When an opportunity has value, we explain where that value comes from. When an option does not make sense, we say so directly rather than pushing the player toward something that benefits the agency more than the athlete.

Representation is built on trust. That trust is earned through honesty, preparation and consistent follow-through.

Positioning

Representation is a responsibility. Every recommendation is measured against the player's career.

Getting Started

Representation begins with understanding the player.

We start by learning about the player's current situation, career objectives and the decisions immediately in front of them.